Cutting Down Tree's

I went to church yesterday and heard one of the most interesting sermons. I am not even sure what part of the bible it is out of but the phrase was “pull the log out of your eye, before you can tell me I have a spec in mine.” I might not even have it fully correct. But none the less still a great piece of advice. I just found lately I find myself looking at the way I view things in life. I find self reflection can be hard at times to look at ones self and say you know I shouldn’t be so hard or judgmental. I find I have been very jaded about the church. Part of it is due to where I work and what I see on a daily basis. I work in a luxury car dealership. I see a lot of preachers coming into my work wearing thousand dollar tailor made suits. They usually drive the most expensive car we make which is around a hundred to a hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The cars are normally tricked out with thousands of dollars of wheels and gadgets on them. I just feel like asking them “what gives you the right?” What gives you the right to take money from people who are struggling to make it day to day and live such an extravagant and flaunty lifestyle? Why are you not giving back and helping the people you take money from and help raise them up into a better place. But I have thought about that a lot lately and have come up “why am I going to let something as insignificant as this damper my relationship with god. Am I really the person to cast judgment?” I think Sunday I realized no I am not. It may frustrate me and I may still look at them and think you can do so much more. But I am not going to be the person to let it interfere with my relationship with Christ. I have discovered not all churches are crooked and just looking for your money. Some are looking for you love and helping you become a better person. I think love is so much more priceless than cash could ever be. Don’t get me wrong having a pocket full of cash is a lot better than having none but it doesn’t make your life better. I think my pastor is right when he says “we are the church the church is not this building. It is you going out into the world living and breathing and doing Christ’s work. That is what the church is.”

Where do you begin

I asked my pastor a question and the question I asked was “where do you begin?” I got a very honest answer, one that I don’t think that I expected. I expected to get a answer more like “read this chapter this verse” “follow steps A through D” and come see me again when you are finished. That’s not even close to what I got. I got a answer more like this “where do you begin? You begin by starting by making the conscious decision that I am going to follow Christ. That is where you begin.” So wow I have already begun, but where am I going? The pastors advice was pick up the bible and start to read it. Read the bible and take it all in and get what you can get out of it and when you are lost or confused or need help let me know I am here to always help. I walked away from the conversation feeling I awe. I felt like for once in my life someone was talking to me about Christ and follow and not talking at me and trying to beat me over the head. “I have put my foot to the path will you walk with me?” That statement will be an on going theme for me. This is going to be an on going project about my journey to Christ. I have always been very open minded to comments and suggestions and encourage many of you to make them.

~Ryan~